Alexi Lalas, a veteran of the 1994 World Cup, has a blunt message for the U.S. men's national team ahead of the 2026 tournament: stop complaining about the pressure.
"Cry me a river when it comes to the pressure," Lalas said at Fox Sports' World Cup media day. "Bunch of whiners. If they’re whining about the pressure of playing in a World Cup, then they’ve already lost."
Lalas, now a Fox Sports analyst, argued this generation of players has been given every resource and should be held to a higher standard. "We, as a nation, should expect more," he said.
Fellow analyst Stu Holden agreed, calling it "absolutely paramount" that the USMNT wins its group stage opener against Paraguay. Holden noted the team's unprecedented depth, with eight or nine players regularly competing in the Champions League.
Former U.S. women's star Carli Lloyd added that the tournament is a chance for American players to become household names, shifting focus away from international stars like Messi and Ronaldo.
The U.S. opens its 2026 World Cup campaign on June 12 against Paraguay in Los Angeles.